Intermediate connecting and supporting means for rotational sectional beams and the like



TIE- l 5 Feb. 18, 1958 l. L. RIKARD 2,823,530

INTERMEDIATE CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING MEANS FOR ROTATIONAL SECTIONAL BEAMS AND'THE LIKE Filed March 5l, 1954 3 Sheets-Shea?l l @ummmIII!!!mi!!III INVENTOR:

. ra Ll/ard,

ATTORNEY.

Feb- 18, 1958 l. l.. RIKARD 2,823,530

INTERMEDIATE CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING MEANS FOR RoTATIoNAL sEcTroNAL BEM/1s AND THE LIKE Filed March 51, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR.-

Ira lhlard,

l. L. RIKARD Feb. 18, 1958 2,823,530 INTERMEDIATE CONNECTING AND SUPPORTING -MEANS FOR ROTATIONAL. SECTIONAL. BEAMS AND THE LIKE Filed March 3l, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I md www., r E ma a Mmm L United States Patwoj INTERMEDIATE CONNECTING AND SUPPORT- ING MEANS FOR ROTATIONAL SECTIONAL BEAMS AND THE LIKE Ira Rikard, Jackson, Ala., assignor to Vanity Fair Mills, Inc., Reading, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March. 31, 1954, Serial No. 419,981

14 Claims. (Cl. 66-86) This invention relates to warp knitting machines or the like having a rotationally mounted comparatively long beam or other similar motion transmitting element comprising two or more separate component sections that are arranged and supported in axially aligned connected relation for rotational movement in unison, and more particularly concerns a unique structure for connecting and supporting the adjacently arranged intermediate end portions of the component sections of such beams or elements.

Connecting and supporting structures of the type indicated have heretofore been provided, but these have not been found entirely satisfactory in use for various reasons. For example, it has been found in practice that such structures have a tendency to cause more or less spreading apart of the component beam sections, with the result that imperfections occur in the loop structure of the knitted fabric produced by the machine. Also, that such structures involve certain installation difculties and fail to maintain the component beam sections in perfect axial alignment at all times due to play, or backlash, between certain parts thereof, or due to other inherent detrimental structural or functional characteristics.

One object of my invention is to provide a novel connecting and supporting structure of the type indicated which overcomes the mentioned and other ditiiculties and detrimental conditions prevailing in connection with the use of the similar prior art structures.

Another object is to provide such a structure in a warp knitting machine comprising circular beam section connecting and supporting members the periphery of one or both of which members is contactingly mounted for free rotation on anti-friction means and the diameters of which contactingly mounted peripheries closely approach in diametrical dimension the flanges of the bobbins mounted on the beam sections, so as to keep the wear factor of said members and anti-friction means at a minimum and effect magnification of any backlash action therebetween.

Another object is to provide such a structure which has certain novel features of advantage over the similar structures of the prior art, whichv can be more quickly and easily installed, and which carries out its intended purpose in a more precise, effective and efficient manner.

A further object is to provide such a structure having novel means for connecting and supporting the sections of a warp knitting machine beam, or other similar element, intermediate of its ends.

Another object is to provide such a structure in which thebeam section connecting means is peripherally supported in novel manner for free rotational movement.

It is also an object to provide such a structure in which the beam section connecting means comprises a pair of complementary coupling members that are adapted to be combined in positive interengaged relation by lateral movement toward each other and which will efrect a readily separable connection between the beam sections, so as to facilitate connection and disconnection of the latter,

Another object is to provide such complementary coupling members in the form of gears, all the teeth of which are adapted to be simultaneously engaged and disengaged when laterally moved toward or from each other.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of such a structure in which the coupling or connecting means is provided with a circular peripheral surface that is adapted to be supported for free rotational movement on one or more anti-friction devices.

An additional object is to provide such a structure comprising a novel anti-friction supporting unit which is adapted to permit free rotational movement thereon of the beam section connecting means.

With these and other objects in view, which will becomemore apparent from the following detailed description of the practical and illustrative embodiments of my improvements shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention comprises the novel beam section coupling and supporting structure, elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts in cooperative relationship, as more particularly indicated and dened by the hereto appended claims.

. In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial front elevational view of a conventional warpknitting machine having one form of my invention applied thereto. Y

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevational detail sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the arrows 2--2 on Fig. 1. Y

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational sectional View of my novelstructure and certain associated parts of the warp knitting machine of Fig. l, taken substantially as indicated by the arrows 3 3 on Fig. 2.

Y Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 3, but of a modified form'of my vinvention and shows certain parts in'full for further clarification,Y and Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 4, and shows another modified form of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, in Vwhich similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, the standard or conventional warp knitting machine partly illustrated in Fig. l generally comprises a usual frame arrangement including uprights 1, 2 and 3, that are relatively spaced and secured to one or more horizontally extending frame members 4, for the support of-upper and lower warp beams respectively identified by the reference characters B1 and B2 each of which comprises axially aligned right and left sections respectively indicated by the numerals 5 and 6.

Each of the said beam sections 5` and 6 is in the form of a`hol1ow shaft, the outer ends of which are adapted to be journalled in any desired practical manner in bearings mounted on, or formed in, the uprights 1 and 3.

Yarn supply spools or bobbins S are mounted in usual manner on the beam sections 5 and 6, for rotation therewith. `As indicated in Fig. 3, thespools S are xed as usual,'onvbeam tube sections by keys .7 and 8 that are secured to the beam sections S and 6 by screws 9 and 10.

. The axially aligned adjacently arranged intermediate end portions of the beam sections 5 and 6 are Yadapted to'ebe connected and supported by my novel structure which, in one form, generally comprises a ring gear 11, a ring gear supporting member 12, a spur gear 13, and a vertically extending supporting unit U which includes an upright frame section 14 at the rear of the machine from-'which project forwardingly two similar integral bracket sections 14a and 14D on which vare respectively mounted two similarsupports 15a and 15b each arranged to carry a plurality of anti-friction rollers 16.

Y. For convenience, only the lower portion of the supportl ingunitU is shown in Fig. 2, in conjunction with theV beam section connecting vparts of my novel structure and Patented Feb. 18, 1958 it will be understood that the upper portion of the supporting unit U, comprising the parts 14a, 15a and 16, correspond with the parts 14h, 15b and 16 shown in Fig. 2. The supporting unit U is adapted to be seated on `and suitably secured in any practical manner to the horizontal machine frame member 4 and otherwise fixedV to the machine frame, if desired. The similar supports a and 15b are shaped as shown in Fig. 2 and 'have two antifriction, or ball bearing rollers mounted thereon for free rotation, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The supports 15a and 15b are also similarly secured in suitable manner to their respective brackets 14a and 14", as by bolts 17.

The spur gear 13 is provided with a hub portion 13a adapted to be interfittingly secured to the beamy section 5, by screws 18 as shown in Fig. 3, or in some other practical manner.

The ring gear 11` is secured to the ring gear supporting member 12 by` screws 19 and said member 12 is provided with a hub portion 12a adapted to be interttingly secured to the beam section 6 by screws 20, as shown in Fig. 3, or in some other practical manner.

From Figs. 2 and 3 `it will be apparent that, when the intermediate ends of the beam sections 5 and 6 are moved to their position of connection, as shown in Fig; 3, the spur gear 13 and ring gear 11 are laterally moved into engagement with each other in such manner that all of the teeth of said gears will be simultaneously intermeshed, thereby establishing a positive interlocked connection between the beam sections 5 and y6 which prevents any relative turning movement, or play, between said beam sections.

The ring gear supporting member r12 -is'provided with a peripheral rim or flange portion 12b, along the inner surface of which the ring gear 11 is adjacently mounted. The outer surface of the rim or flange portion 12b is accurately machined to provide a perfect circular surface in concentric relation to the axis of the member 12, ring gear 11 and spur gear 13. This arrangement permits free contacting rotation of said outer or peripheral surface of the rim portion 12b on the anti-friction rollers 16 so that the beam sections 5 and 6 will `be centrally maintained in perfect axial alignment with'each other at all times during their rotational movement in unison. Furthermore, this supporting arrangement is free ofanyv forces tending to spread apart the beam sections. It will also be noted that the diametrical dimension .of the peripheral surface of the flange portion 12b closely approaches the diametrical dimension of the flanges of the bobbins S. By this arrangement, the freely rotatable outer circular contact surface of the member 12 is subject to a minimum of wear and if any slight backlash action should develop between the beam section connecting parts this will be greatly magnified at the supporting point of the beam sections.

The oute rends of the beams B1 and B2 are rotatingly supported in usual manner in bearings provided for this purpose on, or in, the end frame members 1 and 3, and in such manner as to prevent any axial shifting of the beams. If desired, axial shifting of the beams maybe prevented by removably securing usual type collars to the beams in directly adjacent relation to one Vor both sides of said frame bearings.

Of course, my connecting and supportingstructure for sectional beams and other similar elements, can be changed and modified in various ways For example, instead of the gear members 11 and 13, other equivalent complementary members may be substituted to effect positive coupling of the beam sections 5 and 6 by lateral engaging movement such as illustrated by Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 3, but shows certain parts of the latter in full for further clarification. Since certain parts of Fig. 4 are substantially similar tothe parts of Fig. 3, such parts have been identified by corresponding reference characters to avoid repetitive descriptive matter. `In the structure of Fig. -4,

, vassaauao two circular disc-like members 21 and 22 are provided. 'The member 21 is like the member 12 in Fig. '3, and has a flange 21a which corresponds with the flange 12b of the member 12 in Fig. 3. However, the member 22 of Fig. 4 is provided with a circular peripheral edge that fits snugly against the inner surface of the flange 21a as clearly shown. The member 22 has a plurality of tapered pins 23 anchored therein in uniformly spaced relation near its outer edge and in such manner .as to project from the member 22 into correspondingly tapered apertures 24 formed in the member 21, to thereby provide readily separable c omplementary connecting means between the members 21 and 22 for effecting connection and disconnection of the latter by axially .aligned `movement toward and from each other. Each of the members 21 and 22 is provided with a 'hub 21b and 22b that fits within the respective beam sections 5 and 6 and is fixed to the latter by similar screws 25, as clearly shown. vIt

will be noted that in the arrangement of Fig. 4, the pe-v ripherall surface of the flange 21a contactingly rests on the anti-friction rollers 16 and has free rotational movement thereon.

lf desired, both of the beam section connecting members of my structure can be provided with a vperipheral surface adapted to contactingly rest on the anti-friction rollers 16 for free rotational movement thereon. Such an arrangement is illustrated by Fig. 5, in which certain parts shown and previously identified are again indicated by corresponding reference characters. The arrangement of Fig. 5 includes two Vsimilar Ybeam section connecting members 26 and 27, each of 'which is provided with a hub 216a and 27a that is interfittingly secured to the respective beam sections 5 and 6, by screws 28. Anchored in the member 27 are a plurality of uniformly spaced tapered pins 29, adapted to extend into similar tapered apertures 30 provided in the member 26, to thereby establish separable complementary connecting means between the members 26 and 27, in substantially the same manner of the arrangement shown in Fig. 4. lt will be noted that the peripheral surfaces of Vboth the members 26 and 27 contactingly rest 'for free rotational movement on the anti-'friction rollers 16. The said peripheral surfaces yare accurately machined'so as to be in perfect concentric relation with the axis of the beam sections 5 and 6 -when combined `with the `latter as shown in Fig. 5.

It will be understood by those skilled in this artthat the various developments specifically shown and described can be changed and modified in other ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and more particularly indicated and defined by the hereto appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a textile apparatus, an elongated rotationally mounted motion transmitting element comprising separate sections arranged in axially aligned relation, two separate wheel-like members connectedly arranged in united manner so that each member extends transversely in intermediate relation to said element sections and is secured to one of said element sections, and means 'arranged to establish a peripheral support for at least one of said members adapted to effect free rotational movement thereof in unison with said element sections.

2. In a warp knitting machine or the like, beam sections, two separate wheel-like members connectedly arranged in united manner so that each member extends transversely in intermediate relation to said beam sections and is secured to one of said beam sections, and means arranged to establish a peripheral support for at least one of said members adapted to effect free rotational movement thereof in unison with said beam sections.

3. In a Wrap knitting machine or the like, beam sections, two separate wheel-like members connectedly arranged in united manner so that each member extends transversely in intermediate relation to said beam sections and is secured to one of said beam sections, and anti-friction devices arranged to establish a peripheral support for at least one of said members adapted to eiect free rotational movement thereof in unison with said beam sections.

4. In a wrap knitting machine or the like, beam sections, two separate wheel-like members connectedly arranged in united manner so that each member is positioned in transversely extending intermediate relation to said beam sections and is secured to one of said beam sections, and means arranged to establish a two-point peripheral support for at least one of said members adapted to eiect free rotational movement thereof in unison with said beam sections.

5. In a warp knitting machine or the like, beam sections, two separate wheel-like members connectedly arranged in united manner so that each member is positioned in transversely extending intermediate relation to said beam sections and is secured to one of said beam sections, and a plurality of anti-friction rollers arranged to establish a two-point peripheral support for at least one of said members adapted to effect free rotational movement thereof in unison with said beam sections.

6. In a warp knitting machine or the like, beam sections, a pair of separably interlocked wheel-like members arranged in intermediate relation to said beam sections each of which members is secured to one of said beam sections, and means arranged to establish a peripheral support for at least one of said members adapted to effect free rotational movement thereof in unison with said beam sections.

7. In a warp knitting machine or the like, beam sections, a pair of separably interengaged gear members arranged in intermediate relation to said beam sections each of which gear members is secured to one of said beam sections, and means arranged to establish a twopoint peripheral support for one of said gear members adapted to effect free rotational movement thereof in unison with said beam sections.

8. In a warp knitting machine or the like, beam sections, a pair of circular gears arranged in transversely extending intermediate relation to said beam sections each of which gears is secured to one of said beam sections and has all its teeth interengaged with the teeth of the other gear, and means arranged to establish a two-point peripheral support for one of said gears adapted to effect free rotational movement thereof in unison with said beam sections.

9. In a warp knitting vmachine or the like, beam sections, a pair of circular gears arranged in transversely extending intermediate relation to said beam sections each of which gears is secured to one of said beam sections and has all its teeth interengaged with the teeth of the other gear, and anti-friction devices arranged to establish a two-point peripheral support for one of said gears adapted to effect free rotational movement thereof in unison with said beam sections.

10. In a warp knitting machine or the like, beam sections, a pair of circular gears arranged in transversely extending intermediate relation to said beam sections each of which gears is secured to one of said beam sections and has all its teeth interengaged with the teeth of the other gear, and a plurality of freely rotatable rollers arranged to establish a two-point peripheral support for one of said gears adapted to effect free rotational movement thereof in unison with said beam sections.

ll. In a warp knitting machine or the like, two axially aligned spacedly arranged beam sections, a ring gear having inwardly projecting teeth, a circular spur ygear having all its outwardly projecting teeth interengaged with the teeth of said ring gear, a 4circular disc-like member provided with a peripheral flange, means securing said ring gear to said disc-like member in adjacent relation to the inner surface of said peripheral ange, means securing said disc-like member in transversely extending relation to the spaced end portion of one of said beam sections, means securing said circular spur gear in transversely extending relation to the spaced end portion of the other of said beam sections, and one or more freely rotatable anti-friction rollers arranged in supporting contact along the outer surface of the tiange of said circular disc-like member. v

12. In a textile apparatus, an elongated rotationally mounted motion transmitting element comprising separate element sections arranged in axially aligned relation, two separate members arranged in intermediate relation to said element sections, means connecting each of said members to one of said element sections, complementary separable connecting means on said respective members, and means arranged to establish a two-point peripheral support for at least one of said members adapted to eifect free rotational movement thereof in unison with said element sections.

13. In a textile apparatus, an elongated rotationally mounted motion transmitting element comprising separate element sections arranged in axially aligned relation, two separate disc-like members arranged in transversely extending intemiediate relation to said element sections one of which members is provided with one or more transversely extending apertures, pins on the other of said members corresponding in number with said apertures and adapted to be inserted into the latter to effect separable connection of said members, and means arranged to peripherally support at least one of said members for free rotational movement thereof in unison with said element sections.

14. In a warp knitting machine, beam sections, bobbins on said beam sections which bobbins are provided with end flanges, two separate circular members connectedly arranged in transversely extending intermediate relation to said beam sections each of which members is secured to one of said beam sections and at least one of which members has a peripheral diameter that dimensionally closely approaches the diametrical dimension of said bobbin flanges, and means arranged to peripherally support at least one of said members for free rotational movement thereof in unison with said beam sections.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

